Minuteman [Minute Man]

Date1942

Terms

Sculptures
Wood
United States

Dimensions104.06 × 50.76 × 53.3 cm (41 × 20 × 21 in.)

Markings"Ulrich Steiner" carved in script on right corner of back of base. Brass plaque on front of base: "MINUTEMAN/ CARVED FOR THE NORTHWESTERN BANK 1942/ RE-PRESENTED TO WILLIAM G. FISHER/ OF LUTHERAN BROTHERHOOD 4-26-57/ US TREASURY SAVINGS BOND DIVISION"

Credit LineGift of Mr. George Pinc

Object number2004.4

DescriptionUnidentified hardwood (mahogany?). Brass plaque on front of base: "MINUTEMAN/ CARVED FOR THE NORTHWESTERN BANK 1942/ RE-PRESENTED TO WILLIAM G. FISHER/ OF LUTHERAN BROTHERHOOD 4-26-57/ US TREASURY SAVINGS BOND DIVISION"Man with hat, holding musket in right hand. Left hand rests on a plow. The plow has an overcoat draped over it. Powderhorn strapped on man's back. Square base, measuring 3" x 16 3/4 x 15 5/8. Based on the "Minuteman" sculpture by Daniel Chester French. The statue represents the 15,000 men, most of whom were farmers, who answered the alarm on April 19, 1775. In one hand, the Minuteman holds a musket, and his other hand rests on the handle of his plow. The plow refers to the rural nature of the Concord and Lexington neighborhoods. There are accounts of men literally leaving their plows in the furrows to answer the call to arms. From Collections Committee notes (David Wood): "This reduced size replica of French's Minuteman seems to have been made as a gift to an executive of Luther Brotherhood band as an acknowledgement of his efforts towards the sale of E bonds during World War II. It is an ambitious and fairly faithful replica executed in a somewhat unusual medium. Although there are a number of versions in this scale in plaster and bronze (including one executed by French himself) no other carved version is known at present".